


Masks/Mirrors

by Wint3r_B3ar



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Minor Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Sylcedes Week (Fire Emblem)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 07:33:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26469484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wint3r_B3ar/pseuds/Wint3r_B3ar
Summary: Sylvain and Mercedes ditch a charity gala to have fun at the boardwalk instead.
Relationships: Sylvain Jose Gautier/Mercedes von Martritz
Comments: 9
Kudos: 23
Collections: Sylcedes Week 2020





	Masks/Mirrors

“Are you sure it’s not too ‘bridal’?” Mercedes frowned at the white dress the atelier had saved for last. It had a modest sweetheart neckline and a delicately pleated bodice. The dress pinched in the waist only flow out in gentle layers of soft silk chiffon that puddled at the ground.

Overall, Mercedes thought the gown lovely. But she did not want to show up to a charity gala in a wedding dress. And certainly not on the arm of her long-time friend, Sylvain.

“No, no dearie. On the contrary,” the designer-a thin, wiry woman with a stripe of red lipstick across her face-said as she smoothed out the skirt, “You’ll be hard pressed to find a wedding dress quite like this one, without all the stiffness of ceremony. This dress is elegant but casual and I daresay would not be out of place among the upper echelons of society.”

Mercedes hesitated and tilted her head. Of all the dresses, Mercedes liked this one best.

The woman-Agnes? Agatha? Mercedes couldn’t quite remember- pounced on her chance and gestured at her assistants, “Let’s try it on then.”

Mercedes was stripped to her small clothes and before she could even protest, a corset was fastened around her middle and the dress slipped over her head. They herded her onto a small platform in an alcove lined with mirrors, the whole area aglow with incandescent bulbs.

It fit like a glove.

There was a collective gasp from the ladies behind her as Mercedes blinked to get her bearings together.

“Beautiful.” The designer came behind Mercedes and carefully lifted her hair back and away from her shoulders.

“Striking,” one assistant added.

“It was made for you,” the other chimed in. All the while, the three kept nodding like bobble heads. It was almost dizzying, the up-and-down motion of their heads.

Mercedes was inclined to agree, mimicking the nods of the ladies. Even with no makeup and her hair in a state, the dress managed to transform her into a half-decent lady, almost ready for the ball.

But still. She felt like an imposter, having a difficult time recognizing the woman in the mirrors as herself. Graceful. Moneyed. The white evocative of innocence and purity.

Not only was this reflection everything she was not, everything was so…open? Exposed? Her décolletage, her arms, the curves of her body? Mercedes pulled her hair back down over her shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Will I be able to wear a shawl? Or a cardigan?”

The women behind her burst into laughter, their matching red lips splitting to reveal perfectly white and straight teeth.

“Oh darling, this isn’t a dress to hide away under a _shawl_. But I do appreciate the attempt at modesty.”

…

Annette maintained a cheerful stream of gossip as they sat side by side getting done up in the dressing room of the Dominic estate. The hair dresser took out the last of the pins in Mercedes’s hair and gave the waving curls one final brush while the other carefully anchored Annette’s fiery red hair into an ornate updo.

“This is going to be so much fun. I’ve never gone to a charity gala as someone’s date before. Well, other than my dad’s. Or uncle’s.” Annie made a face but her eyes sparkled blue like the gown she’d commissioned for the event. It hung over her wardrobe alongside Mercie’s, waiting for the girls to finally be finished.

“Hmm. Yes. They’re actually quite boring, you know.” Mercedes hummed as she carefully applied mascara to her lashes. Her eyes were already lightly outlined in kohl and she only planned a dusty rose lipstick to complete her look. She and Annette had both decided to go with a more natural look that was en vogue this season.

“ _Mercie._ Don’t be a killjoy, I’m actually looking forward to this. I wonder how handsome Felix’ll be in a proper tux.”

“Oh, I’m sure he cleans up nice.”

“ _Very_ nice. Too bad he won’t dress up on the regular.” Annie pouted as she swiped on her own pink lipstick over her lips. She admired her reflection for a second before grabbing some blush and dusting some just over the apples of her cheeks, “There. All done.”

Annette caught Mercie’s eye in the mirror and winked.

“Who are these two beautiful girls, eh Mercie?” She bounced in excitement and let out a little yelp as the hair dresser jabbed her with a pin. Mercedes, finished earlier with her hair and makeup, sat back and sipped on her champagne while waiting for Annette to be done.

Who _was_ this stranger sitting in her old dressing robe?

She found it easier to focus on her friend’s facial expressions as they waited for the final pins to be pinned, once again feeling a little out of her element with her hair styled and curled.

The feeling intensified when they finally climbed into their dresses, the Grecian inspired white chiffon gown for her and a powder blue ballgown in layers and layers of tulle for Annette.

“You’re beautiful Annie, Felix will be amazed to see you.”

“Yeah? Thanks Mercie! I do hope so, it’ll be his first time seeing me so dolled up.” Annette gave a little twirl in her dress, wobbling only a little bit in her new heels. She straightened out and turned towards Mercedes with a sly smile on her face, “And Sylvain will also be amazed to see you, too.”

She gave a noncommittal hum and slipped into an older but _comfortable_ pair of heels and sighed as Annette zipped and buttoned up the back of her gown.

“Come on, Mercie. You _know_ he’ll be.”

“I know.”

“Really?”

“Yes, of course. I mean, I went for this dress because I thought I looked awful nice in it after all.”

“Mercie. You know what I mean.”

She quirked an eyebrow and turned to face her friend, “You mean like how you and Felix are?”

Annette flushed redder across her nose and cheeks, “Yes. Exactly like so.”

Mercedes hummed again and looked off into the middle distance. She wasn’t exactly sure where she and Sylvain stood in terms of their relationship.

Sure, they cared about each other very much and they’d promised to protect each other-which was how Sylvain had gotten her to agree to this gala in the first place.

( _Please, Mercedes,_ he’d said, _I need you to protect me from insufferable nobles and all their terrible small talk at this gala. You promised._

It had been silently noted by them both that it would be the first public gala for Sylvain following the very public airing of his family’s dirty laundry and the execution of his brother. Mercedes’s heart had not allowed her to send her friend to the inevitable pity party without support. Especially since he’d asked.)

Other than a handful of times they’d spent together getting drinks and the occasional dinner, they’d mostly maintained their distance and saw each other in the company of others. Not exactly _relationship_ status like Felix and Annette who had started their courtship officially earlier this year.

But during those handful of times Mercedes felt they’d really shared their genuine thoughts and feelings, a more kindred spirit than even Annette.

“I guess I’ve yet to figure things out.”

Annette sighed and was about to protest when she caught sight of movement outside the large bay windows. A familiar midnight blue Rolls Royce pulled up in front of the driveway and a wide grin spread across the redhead’s face.

“Oh! They’re here!” She turned to Mercedes with a faux-stern look on her face, “I’m not done with this conversation yet. We’ll have to figure it out…later.”

“Sure, sure.” Mercedes smiled as she reached out and carefully tucked a stray hair back into her updo, “Go say hello. I’ll be down shortly.”

“Ok, thanks!”

The sounds of Annette’s heels _click-clicking_ down the hall and down the grand stair case echoed faintly as Mercedes turned back to her reflection. She frowned and picked up a fire-engine red lipstick.

 _Never underestimate the power of red lipstick and high heels,_ Dorothea had once said.

“Here goes,” Mercedes sighed as she swiped it on. She didn’t _feel_ any more confident but at least she had the look of authority that designer had had a few days ago. She raised her chin and tried to strike a more regal poise to see if it’ll help when she heard a soft knocking at the door.

“Mercedes?” Sylvain let himself in and she saw him through the reflection on the mirror. A fondness passed over his face as he approached her, softening his features and battering her heart.

“Oh! Sylvain.” She jerked upright, dropping the lipstick onto the floor. It rolled beneath the vanity and she sighed, “Oh dear, I hope it hasn’t rolled too far under.”

Sylvain let out a soft chuckle and he dropped down onto the floor next to her as she reached under the heavy vanity for the small tube.

“Here, let me.” He grinned at her, his face just inches from her own and she sat up in an awkward huff.

“Got it. Here,” Sylvain passed the errant lipstick into her palm and she capped it with a satisfying _snap._

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. You look divine, by the way.”

“Thanks. You don’t look too shabby yourself.” It was true, he was quite dashing with his formal tux and slicked back hair. He grinned but it didn’t quite reach his eyes, “Yeah well. Fancy gala, can’t exactly go looking like a bum. Even though they’d probably let me in anyways. What with my being the Margrave’s heir and everything.”

“Hey now. Don’t be like that, we’re going to have a good time tonight. Alright?” She mustered the confidence she herself wasn’t feeling and reached up to cup his jaw between her hands. He leaned into them with an exhale.

“Yeah, right. Of course.”

“But if you want to go at any time, let me know. If we leave early enough, we can still get hot dogs on the pier.” Mercedes grinned as she brought his face down and kissed his cheek. His eyes widened but she pulled back before he could react and clucked at herself for leaving a big, fat lipstick stain on his cheek.

“Sweet Seiros, let me get that.” She blushed as she grabbed a tissue from the vanity and gently dabbed at his face but Sylvain grabbed her hand and kissed her palm, “I love you Mercedes.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

“Before I forget, I got you something.” He reached into his jacket pocket and fished out what looked like a sparkly ball. He fumbled with it briefly, untangling it to reveal an ornate diamond necklace in a lattice pattern, “I’m glad you’re not already wearing a necklace, beautiful.”

It was spectacular, the main diamond big enough to skate on. It caught the light and cast the room in a thousand little rainbows and for some reason, it made Mercedes’s heart sink just a little.

“Sylvain, I can’t accept that.”

“Why not? I had it made for you.”

“That’s not a gift you can just give willy-nilly to a friend.”

“I’m not just gifting it willy-nilly. I’m giving it to you.”

“Exactly. Sylvain, you don’t have to do _this._ Not with me. Not with anyone.”

“You think I give _everyone_ diamond necklaces?” Sylvain’s eyes were wide with hurt and Mercedes felt her insides give an awful clench.

“No, I-,” Mercedes started, reaching out for Sylvain when there was a sharp rap of knuckles against the door.

“What are you guys doing?” Felix’s cool gaze fell upon them and Sylvain gave a fake smile and a breezy wave, “Nothing. We’ll be down soon.”

Mercedes swallowed as she watched Felix narrow his eyes in a pointed glare before he sighed and ran a hand through his navy hair, today neatly brushed back, “Whatever the issue is, can you idiots save it for later? Annette is already waiting in the car.”

“Sure thing, pal. We’ll be right down.” Mercedes knew Felix didn’t miss the terse clip to Sylvain’s voice and miserably failed to maintain an even keel. The younger man glared for a few more seconds before turning back towards the stairs.

Sylvain swiftly fastened the necklace around Mercedes’s throat, the weight of it heavy against her chest like an anvil.

“Let’s not make this more stressful than what it already is, Mercie. I’m tired.” His hands rested against her shoulders and she felt his nose press into her hair. Even in this moment, Mercedes was the tiniest bit relieved that she thought to perfume her hair today after showering.

“Sure, sure.” Some of the tension eased out from him and Mercedes turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his middle, “And I’m sorry. I was…out of line.”

“Don’t be. You weren’t the only one.” He gave her a tight squeeze before releasing her with a soothing rub of her arms, “Alright. Are you ready? Any later and the other two’ll kill us before the evening even starts.”

She let out a soft laugh as they made their way down to the waiting car, “I wouldn’t think a gala would be Felix’s sort of thing.”

“It's not. But it’s Annette’s. And Felix will do anything for her.”

“Aren’t they just the sweetest?”

“Only after you. Honest.” She glanced up at him and caught him smiling at her-and for real this time. She reached for his hand and was reassured when he knit their fingers together. Saddened immediately after when he held onto her hand so tight, like she’d disappear otherwise.

…

The breeze off the ocean was just chilly enough that Mercedes wished she’d had a shawl after all.

She leaned against the railing, sipping from her martini as Sylvain made small talk with his distant cousins from the Alliance.

So far, they’d fielded together the same conversation about Miklan probably, oh, twenty? thirty? times.

Her throat was sore and parched from swallowing the bitter conversation each time. Mercedes could only wonder how Sylvain was holding up.

Speaking of Sylvain, he caught her eye and winked, excusing himself from the conversation to stand next to her. She’d been introduced to them earlier but had found them a little on the pretentious side and besides, the view here was _incredible._

“Does your offer of hotdogs on the pier still stand?” He leaned in close enough that Mercedes could smell the faint undertones of bergamot and cedar in his cologne. She nudged in closer and whispered in his ear, “ _Yes._ I’ve been dying to leave since we got here.”

He grinned wide and lopsided.

“Alright then, miss. Lead the way.”

…

Game stand hawkers competed with the raucous roar of boardwalk rides as crowds milled about the breezy coolness of a Faerghan summer night. Sylvain polished off his second hotdog while Mercedes worked her way through a corndog smothered in sugar, her lipstick long gone.

His jacket was around her shoulders, his bow tie long lost. Both their hair was in disarray after one too many knocks on the bumper cars and a go on the loop-de-loop.

“This is much better than the gala,” declared Sylvain as he stretched out on the sand.

“It is, isn’t it?” Mercedes carefully gathered their garbage into an empty limeade cup and got up to throw it out.

She heard him dust himself off as he got up to follow her.

“Wanna play a game?” He gently took the trash from her hands and jerked his chin to one of the brightly lit stands, “I’ll win you a prize.”

“Sure.”

They settled onto the small stools set up at a miniature shooting gallery and Sylvain grinned at her as he readied his toy gun.

“I haven’t done this in years. The boardwalk version, at least.”

The targets started moving and Mercedes was impressed she even managed to get two. Sylvain, as expected, hit almost every target before the game was through to the chagrin of the stand proprietor.

“Two masks for the lady,” he said as he handed Mercedes a set of cheap paper masks, “And a stuffed toy of your choosing for the gentleman.”

Sylvain turned to Mercedes with a giant smile, “You choose, Mercie.”

She bit down on her lip and tapped her chin as she surveyed the menagerie stuffed animals lining the walls.

“Um. That one.” She pointed to a small bear wearing a red shirt. The fuzzy fabric was soft against her cheek as she nuzzled the bear against her face.

“Thank you, Sylvain.”

“Uh, yeah. You’re welcome.” He rubbed the back of his neck and the tops of his cheeks flushed.

She cocked her head and looked at him confused.

“Why are you so shy suddenly?”

“It's nothing.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Nothing.”

“Hm. Alright then. Here, why don’t we each put on a mask.” She handed him paper fox mask and grinned as he fit over his face.

“How do I look?”

“Positively debonair.”

He threw his head back in a laugh and helped her with hers, a white bunny with big buck teeth.

“Do I make a good bunny?”

“The best.” His hands lingered around her ears and raked through her curls.

They went around to the back of her neck and unfastened the necklace.

“I really am sorry about this. I didn’t mean to be presumptuous.”

“I think we were both a little in the wrong. Its been eating me up inside that I even questioned your motives. I’m sorry, too.”

The bear was crushed between them as he brought her close.

“So you like the bear more than the necklace, huh? Wish I’d known before I’d stupidly commissioned the damn thing.”

Mercedes smiled against his chest and maneuvered an arm out from under his arms to reach up into his hair.

“Who said anything about not liking the necklace? I appreciate whatever you do for me, Sylvain. I just don’t want to be seen as one of those girls wanting you for status or money.”

“I don’t. Not with you, Mercie. Never with you.”

“I know, Sylvain. It was just an insecurity of mine. That’s the last thing I care about when I see you.”

“I know.” A brief pause, “Insecurities, huh? I get it.”

She pulled back to look at his face and was momentarily surprised to see the fox mask instead of his usual features.

His eyes shone through however and she could see he was trying to be earnest. Oh, how she wanted to lift the mask and _see_ him.

But then he'd lift her own mask and she couldn’t quite say if she wanted him to see _her._

Instead she held her hand out, “Well if you went through so much trouble on my behalf, I’ll gladly take the necklace off your hands.”

Relief spread through her as he laughed and carefully deposited the heavy necklace back into her waiting hand. She then re-fastened it around her throat, “For safe-keeping.”

They wandered through the slowly emptying boardwalk for a few minutes, Sylvain's arm around her shoulders.

“You know, Mercedes, sometimes I wish I could take you away from here. I'd relinquish my titles and we'd elope to somewhere warm and never come back to Fodlan again. Never worry about crests and nobility and expectations.”

“Life as an ordinary citizen, hm?”

“Yeah. Ordinary. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

“I have to say, it really is nice. I should know, I’ve done it before.”

He flipped his mask up and looked down at her, “So what do you say to that?”

Mercedes felt her heart stutter and skip, “Are you being serious, Sylvain?”

She saw the determination in his face waver. He pulled her mask up for her and ran a finger along her jaw. She flipped it back down.

“Dead serious. We could leave tonight even. Take the plane to Derdriu and be married by sunrise.”

“That's madness, Sylvain."

“Yeah. I know. You’ve done it once before, do it again with me. Starting new, I mean. Unless you have a secret husband stashed away somewhere.”

“You'd get along with him quite splendidly.”

“Capital! Maybe he can meet us in Derdriu?”

“Sure. I’ll ask him.”

“Please do.”

“We could pawn the necklace and live off that for the rest of our lives.”

“Now you’re talking. But we'd better sell it off in pieces. Make it last.”

“Of course.” She paused and pointed at the merry-go-round, “How about we seal the deal with a go around the merry-go-round?”

“Sure thing, beautiful.”

They settled onto adjacent wooden ponies. The carousel was ancient, the paint badly chipped and peeling in places.

But then the calliope music started to play and the incandescent lights started to glow bright around them as they twirled around and around in the darkness. And it was incredible how quickly the atmosphere changed.

She laughed and clutched the reins on her pony while Sylvain held onto her bear and watched with a pensive expression. Her mood soured when she thought of his proposition, even if it was made in jest.

Mercedes wished so badly she could take Sylvain away from here. The pressure and expectations placed on him were slowly suffocating him and everyone who cared even a little about him could see it. But running away…

Running away turned her mother into a shell of her former self and ended up tearing her family apart. Worst of all, her brother murdered his family and had been executed for his crimes just for her land back in the difficult position of being sought after for her crest.

Besides, running away would eat him up from the inside also.

Which was worse? Mercedes couldn’t tell. She herself was drowning in a similar battle.

She turned to see a mirrored panel along the main column of the carousel and happened to see both their reflections. The masks threw her off again-when had Sylvain fixed his over his face?

“Sylvain?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m very fond of you.”

“Really?”

“Truly.”

She tugged off her mask and reached for his. He chuckled as he let her do the same for him.

“There. That’s much better.”

“You like my ugly mug?”

Her hand hooked behind his neck and brought him down so she could whisper against his ear, “More than anything this side of the universe. I adore it.”

Then she pressed a kiss to the swirls of his ear before releasing him. He didn’t pull back, instead pitching forward to kiss her lightly instead. It was chaste and sweet and much more intimate than Mercedes could have ever imagined.

She smiled at the affection all over his warm brown eyes and planted one last kiss on the tip of his nose before he righted himself.

When the ride was over, he helped her down like the right fine gentleman he was and they briefly studied their reflection in the mirror.

They both looked so tired.

But also- oddly content? Mercedes found she liked this version of herself in the mirror, relaxed and almost disheveled, swallowed by Sylvain's jacket. The mascara smudged under her eyes from smiling too wide even if she wasn’t smiling at the moment.

She liked this Sylvain too, loose and open. Not an ounce of pretense on his person. The light glinted off his fiery red hair and the fine laugh lines about his eyes.

“Well. We sealed the deal, alright.”

They were now ambling their way back towards the gala. Mercedes was clutching the bear and extra cotton candy for Annette. Sylvain was working on buttered popcorn and he’d stashed the paper masks in the pocket of his dinner jacket which was still around Mercedes’s shoulders.

“Hmm. I suppose we did.” She licked stray bits of spun sugar from her lips and found Sylvain watching her, “What is it?”

“You missed a spot.”

She raised an eyebrow, “I did? Where?”

“Here,” he brushed a finger softly against her jaw and she chewed on her lip, “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

There was a long line of cars waiting to pick up the guests from the gala and they could still hear the music playing from within the ballroom.

“I guess we’ll have to wait a while.”

“I don’t mind.” Sylvain lifted her up to situate her on the wooden railing lining the ocean walkway. From up here, Sylvain came only up to her chest and she smiled down at him, “A girl could get used to a view like this.”

“Yeah? You like being up high, Mercie?”

“Absolutely.” It was the perfect height for her to rest her arms comfortably on his broad shoulders and she crossed her wrists beyond his figure. Sylvain rested his hands protectively around her waist and tilted his head up to see her, “Well then I’ll make sure you never come down.”

“Such big promises.”

“Only ones I can keep.”

“Hmm.” She brought him closer until she he was flush against her and she leaned her cheek down against his hair, “I don’t want to talk of the future or of grandiose promises. They make me sad. Let’s make little promises instead.”

“Little promises?”

“Yes. They’re much less intimidating. I’ll start with one. I promise I’ll call you tomorrow. Just to say ‘hello.’” She felt him swallow against her and tighten his grip.

“I’d like that. I, um, I don’t know what I could promise.” He let out an embarrassed laugh that was muffled against her chest.

“Well I can think of one.”

“Alright, what is it?”

“Promise me when you’re alone and feeling sort of down about yourself, you’ll think of me. Or call me, even.”

“That sounds like a tall order of a ‘little promise,’ honey. Ok, I’ll promise only if you’ll do the same for me.”

Mercedes pulled back to look at him and his eyes were so earnest it hurt. She nodded slowly, “Alright. Let’s shake on it.”

They solemnly shook hands, and then he relaxed into her again. They didn’t really feel the need to disturb the cozy silence with more talking so they didn’t.

And she sang along to the songs in her signature off-key as much as she could, softly rocking him in time to the music while he rested against her.

…

Annette was only mildly annoyed they’d ditched the gala. Felix on the other hand was making his displeasure clearly known.

“I’m never going anywhere with you two ever again,” he grumbled as he nursed his Irish coffee. But Sylvain knew there was no real bite to his anger and shrugged as he sipped from his old fashioned.

“You came here with us.”

Felix looked up with a scoff, “You know what I meant.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

They’d stopped by a 24hr joint on the way home for a night cap ( _There’s never enough food at these stupid things,_ Felix had said and Sylvain could always go for greasy diner food at all ungodly hours of the day-or night, rather) and Annette was currently voraciously cutting up her stack of chocolate chip pancakes with strawberry compote and whipped cream.

“It sure looks like you had a lot of fun,” said Annette as she speared a neatly cut triangle of pancakes with her fork.

“Tons of fun. Looks like you had a _ball_ too, Annie.”

Annette had to stifle a giggle as she forced a frown, “Mercie. That was a terrible joke, even for you.”

“Who said anything about a joke?” Mercedes brought her tea cup up to her lips and smiled.

“Ok it wasn’t too bad. But only because I had Felix beside me the whole time. Not that I could say the same for you.” Annette stuck her tongue out at Mercie. The sight made Felix smile down at her and it warmed Mercedes’s heart to see him so smitten.

Good. They were just perfect for each other. She and Sylvain exchanged smug looks.

“Sorry Annie. But I did tell you these galas were rather boring.”

The waitress brought out the rest of the food just then.

Sylvain and Felix had both ordered heaping plates of diner steak, eggs, corned beef and potato hash plus sides of French fries smothered in cheese and gravy. It almost made Mercedes sick just to see them eat all that so late at night.

“Oh!” A drop of strawberry compote landed on top of Annette’s cleavage and while she and Mercedes searched for napkins to wipe it away, Felix swooped over to lick it clean off for her.

“Felix!” Annette turned a bright pink straight down past the neckline of her dress as Felix blushed red at the tips of his ears.

Sylvain hooted loudly and leaned over the table to clap a hand on his friend’s shoulder, “Felix, you old dog. I knew you had it in you.”

“What? She used up all her napkins when the juice spilled earlier.” Felix threw Sylvain’s hand off of him with an annoyed shrug, “Besides, we all know you’ve done _worse._ ”

“Yeah, well. We’re not talking about _me,_ now are we?” He grinned and stretched an arm along Mercedes’s shoulder blades. Mercie patted his knee under the sticky Formica table and he squeezed her shoulder.

Felix and Annette were both so red, poor things. Mercedes was sure it was the alcohol that had momentarily loosened Felix’s inhibitions to be so bold. She felt sorry for them.

She reached over to Annie’s plate and stole a bite, purposefully dropping a smidgeon of pancake along her chest, “Oops.”

It was a particularly chocolatey piece of pancake and Mercedes grimaced as she noticed the brown sludge drip onto her dress. She made to brush it away when Sylvain, still laughing, leaned down to take care of it for her.

“There. Now we’re even.”

“Sylvain. You have no shame.”

“Hey, you did it first, buddy.” Sylvain let out a raucous laugh.

Felix rolled his eyes and Annette, still pink along the bridge of her nose and delicate cheekbones, groaned under a bashful smile.

And Mercedes? Mercedes, now sporting a blush of her own, finally _finally_ felt like herself, awful chocolate smudge on her fancy not-bridal-but-bridal white dress and all.

…

**Author's Note:**

> Both their dresses were inspired off of Grace Kelly in How to Catch a Thief
> 
> The masks were inspired off of the sweet and lovely mask scene from Breakfast at Tiffany's
> 
> thanks for reading :)


End file.
